Payback
by Mint Julip59
Summary: This story follows Guardian Angel and what happens when Dempsey and Makepeace return to the office after Dempsey threatened to resign if Makepeace left the force. It maybe a one shot or a longer story haven't decided yet.


_This story follows the last episode Guardian Angel which was great but the viewers deserved at least one kiss._

Spikings looked up as Harry walked into his office and sat down. He took out her resignation letter and gave it back to her. 'I hadn't formally processed this as I thought you might want to take some time considering your options. You're a good copper Harry, one of the best and you and Dempsey make a good team. If the paperwork all goes through you'll both be offered positions as my next in the line of command so the workload can be shared between you and you can decide how to carve it up whilst I get to deal with the top floor and the other divisions.'

'Aren't you going to ask me what changed my mind?' Harry looked theatrically put out by her boss's lack of curiosity.

'The Yank changed your mind is my guess, I imagine he managed to grunt out something to placate you for whatever misdemeanour he'd committed.' Since Spikings knew that they both had deep feelings for each other he often thought it odd that two such smart people couldn't work out what was blindingly obvious to everyone else.

'No misdemeanour just a moment of uncertainty on my part,' Harry responded with a small smile. 'Thank you for not processing this sir, it would have made the operation with Daish a bit awkward if you had.' Harry referred to the quick dash from Kensington they'd made to obtain her weapon and ID card before following their suspect to the pub.

'Ye-es it would, anyway Daish is dead, the money's recovered and everyone's happy except for the mob whose funds have been confiscated. 'Now you've got Dempsey on the ropes what are you going to do with him?' Spikings smiled enjoying the idea of the brash Yank being at Harry's mercy; it amused him.

'Why do I have to do anything with him, sir' Harry frowned. 'We work well together; I had a moment of doubt as to whether I can deal with death and destruction on a daily basis, I'm over that now.'

Spiking began to wonder if he should charge for counselling the pair of them; they seemed to wilfully misunderstand each other. 'In my experience Sergeant, if you make a man spill his guts then it's usually a tradition to get some form of payback or quid pro quo,' he smiled at her. 'You forced the issue Harry; you're going to have to deal with it. The Yanks a seething mass of testosterone at the best of times so good luck with that.'

Harry left Spikings office and sat down at her old desk; she shelved Spikings payback issue for the moment and thought of the practicalities of her situation; she'd have to finish up Professor Dalton's project in her own time because she hated letting people down, a coffee landed on her desk and she looked up to see Dempsey smiling at her.

'Got it all sorted with the chief,' he pulled a chair up and straddled it leaning his arms on the backrest. 'We should celebrate your return, my treat.' His warm gaze travelled over her pleased she was back where she belonged.

'We're paid the same we'll go Dutch,' she responded in an even tone. 'And stop looking so pleased with yourself; it was a momentary glitch in a stellar career Spikings says I'm going to be an Inspector before I'm thirty.' She felt very pleased at the thought of the promotion she'd worked hard for it.

'Looking forward to the dress uniform Makepeace you'll look cute with the little hat, black stockings and the rest.' he lit a cigar and watched her through the smoke. 'You should be grateful to me you could've thrown all this away,' his gaze ran round the utilitarian office and the standard issue furniture.

'Yes it does make the Natural History Museum look shabby by comparison,' she remarked dryly as she sipped the coffee feeling a little uncomfortable as the balance between them had definitely shifted. She'd left because she couldn't bear the thought of seeing him die and he'd said he'd resign if she did because he didn't want to work here without her, so where did you go from there. 'Payback and quid pro quo,' rattled round her head.

Dempsey on the other hand had admitted to Makepeace that he needed her and as far as he was concerned that was it, she cared, he needed her so basically his place or hers. To the male brain the male female equation was simple.

Harry hadn't really analysed her emotions until Joyce had taken her to task on it; she had been willing to give up her career for Dempsey because she couldn't bear it if he died. When the promotion came through they'd be somewhat more office bound she supposed although Spikings even as a Chief Inspector still took part in some of their activities.

'You're overthinking it again,' he remarked as he stubbed out the cigar. 'C'mon let's go; we finished a big case today and I've been living rough for a couple of nights so I need to go back to my place and change, shower etcetera.

'I thought I smelt stale alcohol,' she sniffed at him suspiciously.

'I'll pick you up at six thirty and we'll take it from there,' he saw Harry flash him an uncertain glance. Now what, what more did she want from him, he'd told her he needed her and damn nearly resigned because of her; the marriage proposal could wait a while. Marriage, where had that come from; he supposed she was his work wife so to speak, Simone had definitely picked up on that. Moving the relationship on a little wouldn't hurt though cos Harry was beautiful and he'd wanted her even before she'd become essential to his existence?

-oOOo-

When Dempsey knocked at Harry's door she was ready to go, dressed in an animal print top that was kind of low cut, very nice, with jeans and boots and a hand bag over her shoulder. Posh pub he decided she'd get pestered to death if he took her to the normal coppers' haunt. He also noticed she hadn't invited him in which was unusual, she seemed kind of nervous, off centre. He concluded that after pushing him to say he cared she was now screwed as to what the hell to do with him, great!

He hailed a taxi to take them to a pub he knew in Richmond; it was by the river and had nice views. Warm summer's evening; they could sit outside and that should make the whole celebration gig a bit more relaxed. They got a table and then Dempsey went inside and ordered for them both and brought back a jug of Pimms and two glasses. 'It's part of the British experience,' he growled as she raised her eyebrows at his choice. He sat down across from her and poured them a glass each, 'chin, chin.'

She clinked her glass against his, 'I don't think I actually know anybody who says that. This is nice,' she looked around the pretty pub garden and the view of the river and then noticed Dempsey was rubbing his head again and wondered if he had hurt it or maybe it was a mannerism he had when he wasn't sure what to say. She was curious it was a major tell if it was the latter.

Dempsey sipped the drink and then looked over at her and made a decision. 'Spikings thinks you don't know that I care about you; I know I don't say much about feelings and stuff but I do care about you Harry and I want you to know that.' He felt uncomfortable but kind of relieved he'd got that off his chest the last couple of days had been hard on him and he'd missed her.

Harry took a long hard refreshing drink from her glass of Pimms to give herself a minute, she deduced they were about to have a grown up conversation and decided it was probably long overdue. 'What kind of care; a partner thing? As in you're used to me and you don't want to get used to anyone else?' Her blue gaze met his, James was really struggling and he was tugging at his hair again.

'Well all of that but not just that,' he picked up his glass and drained it. He looked at her and then looked away again, 'I know this is a long shot especially after what you said, but tonight, I want this to be a date.' The boring thing had really stung.

'A date,' Makepeace queried surprised her partner's smooth, seductive style seemed to have deserted him and she needed to clarify his meaning, 'what as in a boy girl date?' She wasn't assuming anything with Dempsey.

He gave her a sarcastic look, 'well I was hoping for something more mature since we're both over sixteen. Is that what you want?' He felt he'd said enough and that Spikings had probably got it all wrong anyway.

'Not if you think you have to do it to keep me from leaving,' she raised her chin proudly offended at that idea. That would be just like him, keep the dame happy say something nice.

Dempsey was on a hair trigger and that comment didn't go down well. 'Do you know what Makepeace you're hard work, I want to date you cos I care about you and you're hot and not because of the damned job,' as he practically yelled this at her they got a fair bit of attention.

'Yelling is one of your least charming characteristics,' she told him in a critical tone as she tried to ignore the fact that they were being observed by everyone else in the garden.

'Well, being difficult is yours,' he growled irritably and poured them both another drink. 'I mean if you liked me that way why'd you never show it; I mean except for that time you were totally wasted,' he laughed wryly at that. 'You were something that night.'

Harry's eyes widened with surprise she'd thought she'd given him more than enough clues or signals. 'I said I didn't want to see you die and what was your response?' She theatrically pretended she was thinking. 'Ah yes, your response was nobody wants to see anyone die; and funnily enough that didn't make me feel special.' She gave it a minute for that to sink through his thick skull. 'I said I cared about you when you were going to shoot Coltrane,' strike two for the Yank detective. 'And as I remember I even offered to share a bottle of very expensive, chilled, Cristal champagne with you after the jazz evening before you crashed the Rolls; I think I did my bit, James.'

Dempsey countered that with a sense of injustice. 'When I came by the museum you said you were bored with the job and bored with me, when I picked you up on the caring thing you brushed it off and said you had to say something to stop me from shooting Coltrane.' He could see she wasn't buying it. 'And as for the Cristal thing, yeah that was my fault.' Dempsey was intrigued with the idea of Makepeace setting up the scene for seduction and a smile tugged at his lips. 'So if we'd had the champagne what do you think would've gone down?' He was interested to hear her view on this because he regretted not making it to her place.

'You'd have probably spent the evening tugging at your hair; you should watch that if we did date you could develop a bald patch.' Harry had reverted to her usual sparring style; it was their comfort zone she supposed.

'Very funny you should do stand-up; so where are we with this, is this a date or isn't it?' The glower on his face didn't exactly add to the romantic ambience.

'Yes,' she answered snippily. It could be a bad tempered date after all everyone had those.

'Well if it is get over here,' finally a result she did care, care; he patted the bench next to him. Dempsey was a guy and he wasn't shy about what he wanted and top of the list was to be close to Harry.

Makepeace gave him a long suffering look but she did join him on his side of the pub bench and swallowed hard as he pulled her into his body; 'what are we doing,' she asked politely as her personal space seemed to have been thoroughly invaded.

'I thought a snog might be a start,' he looked amused at the English term. 'It's why I got the Pimms, I thought you might object to the beer,' he hugged her affectionately to his side. 'So all this time you've had a thing for me, huh?

'A thing?' Makepeace asked dangerously wondering if he was thinking of a female version of male lust.

'Yeah a thing, so you liked me that way; I never got that most of the time you seemed to put up with me rather than embrace the experience.' Dempsey looked smug at the thought and was disappointed he hadn't tuned in earlier.

'That's still true,' Harry flicked him a glance. 'And…. She waited patiently and then caught his hand as he went to tug his hair again.

He gave an exasperated groan he'd talked enough so he went with instinct and caught her jaw in his hand and kissed her. It wasn't like the before when he'd stolen a kiss; this was hot, heavy and had a strong dash of emotional charge; he didn't overthink it.

When he drew away from her there was a round of applause from the garden's occupants and Harry was rather flushed and it wasn't just with embarrassment. 'I see, so you do er…

'Yeah I do whatever er… is, I'd take a bullet for you; I'd give up my job for you, what more do you want an organ transplant? I've got two kidneys you can have one of those.'

Harry laughed in delight at that and felt as if the weight of the world had fallen of her shoulders. 'I see well in that case I think this might be a hot date,' her bright, blue gaze flirted with his.

'Now you're talking,' he grinned at her and he kissed any part of her face he could reach knowing that would fluster her; it was nice the way she curled into him even if she was trying to avoid the onslaught.

'Idiot,' she pushed him off and readjusted her top as it seemed to be falling off one shoulder. 'If I'd wanted to be slobbered over I'd have bought a dog.' Harry sobered slightly. 'What about work, there's no actual rule about it but fraternisation between partners is frowned on?'

Dempsey shrugged, 'Spikings was the one who told me you cared so I don't think he has a problem with it as long as we don't start canoodling in the office; the rest of the guys think we do it anyway. You're hot; they want a slice and assume I'm taking one.'

'Charming, I'm pretty sure I would never canoodle,' Harry responded her voice laced with distaste and noticed his hand had dropped to her rear and was in the common parlance, copping a feel.

'I don't know there's been plenty of times when I've wanted to kiss the mouth off you Makepeace, especially when you're being all snooty and acting the princess,' he groaned when she caught his hand and placed it on her waist.

'I'm off limits in the office or when we're operational,' she informed him firmly. She had the feeling Dempsey felt it was open season on her after their little talk.

'We ain't either of those now,' he moved his hand back down to its former position. 'Love your ass, Makepeace and you have no idea how many times I've wanted to…

'I knew you'd be all hearts and flowers; a true romantic,' she mocked him cutting off whatever he was about to say because she had a feeling it might be x-rated and she didn't intend to provide the evening's entertainment for the pub's customers.

'Let's go someplace more private,' he got up and offered his hand to steady her as she climbed over the bench, 'your place or mine?'

'Mine's closer,' she accepted his arm around her shoulder and ran her arm around his waist. 'Doesn't this seem strange to you,' she looked up at him and saw that he looked amused. 'If you're going to say something disgusting you don't have to answer.'

'Aw c'mon Harry, you must have thought about it,' he hugged her to him. 'I like being with you and I've wanted more; let's leave it like that.'

'Yes let's,' Makepeace agreed as they stepped into the taxi he'd hailed and made their way back to her place.

-oOOo-

Harry felt very self-conscious when they reached her lounge as James had been 'affectionate' in the taxi she could almost feel the physical hunger from her partner and therefore was surprised when he didn't immediately pounce on her.

He dug his hands in his jeans and looked troubled by something, 'I've been thinking about the security here; gaining access is child's play and after that serial killer got hold of you it's been bothering me; I've got some specs for you to look at back at my place.'

'Well you would be the expert as it's usually you breaking in,' Harry went to the fridge and got out a bottle of chilled champagne; she was quite touched he'd thought about her safety. 'And actually I've been meaning to do this for some time,' she went over to a drawer and retrieved the spare key and gave it to him. 'Save you the bother,' she widened her eyes in emphasis.

He took the key recognising that as progress but went back to his point, 'The Inspector role is more deskbound you know that; you get to tell sergeants like you what to do. I had three of them working for me in my precinct and then a number of uniformed cops, I've been thinking about that too.'

Harry looked confused. 'What, you don't want to do field work anymore; I thought you'd hate that?' She offered him a glass of champagne and could see by his expression she hadn't got his meaning..

'You got all upset about the Crazy Joe thing, I'm just saying that it wouldn't do you any harm to play it safe and delegate a little,' he came up to her and clinked his glass against hers. 'To us,' he murmured his voice tone low and heavy with feeling.

'Oh so you're saying I stay behind a desk and in that way I don't see you getting shot at?' Makepeace could see his logic but then she wouldn't be there to protect him. 'I came back so that I could protect you, you idiot. I know your moves better than anyone, it makes a difference.'

'Nope, you're not really getting this,' he growled as he put his glass down. 'I don't want you getting shot at either,' his dark eyes ran over her and he touched her face gently with his fingertips. 'Couldn't bear it if anything happened to you princess, when you were in that van with Swabey, when I heard that shot… '

Harry swallowed hard; she'd expected a physical onslaught and instead James had become protective of her. 'I see, well perhaps when we get the promotion we can work out how to handle the workload together.' She searched his dark gaze and could see he seemed more comfortable with that. 'You said that you knew I'd be all right,' she frowned remembering back to that night her blue eyes questioning him.

'Yeah well, I was trying to be comforting,' he took her glass off her and pulled her into his arms swaying her gently against his body; 'thought you'd bought it on the Coltrane gig too, Butch said they'd shot you. I wasn't bothered what happened to me after that just wanted to kill the bastard,' he rested his forehead against hers. 'Make the office more appealing to me too if you were in it cos I guess there'd be more paperwork.'

'I'll get you a pipe and a pair of slippers,' she murmured with an attempt at humour as being office bound wasn't Dempsey's style and she expected the way the work got carved up might be a source of contention .

'You know Harry, you can just be the girl once in a while,' he responded with sarcasm. 'What's the point in opening up if you're just gonna shoot me down,' his mouth shut her up and persuaded her to explore the physical side of their relationship. She tasted nice, he'd stolen a kiss here and there but this was different, he sought out the sweet recesses of her mouth and caught the faint taste of champagne. He slid his tongue against Harry's and was pleased when she joined the fun, nice turned him on when she did that.

He broke the kiss his fingertips tracing her soft lips, 'well what d'you know, Harry can turn up the heat,' his mouth came back down and deepened the kiss his arms tightening and his hand on her ass bringing her close so she'd know everything about how he was feeling.

Makepeace was competitive at heart and meeting his girlfriend Simone had shocked her a bit; seeing the woman there in his bedroom noticing her familiarity with all things Dempsey. She'd liked the woman but she hadn't liked the fact Simone knew things about James that she didn't.' Her arms wound around his neck and she pressed her lower body against his and felt her temperature go up when he groaned and started on her neck. Who knew her neck was so sensitive, oh God…. When she felt the zip on her jeans go she tried to bring her senses back to some sort of order. 'Dempsey this is a first date,' she almost didn't recognise her own voice it was so low and husky.

He gently bit her ear lobe and was pleased to see that worked cos she wasn't protesting too much now and that little grind she'd just done against him wasn't exactly innocent. 'What, you want to stop,' he kissed her throat and then along her jaw.

'You haven't even bought me dinner,' Harry protested and realised how ridiculous that sounded. They'd known each other for three years; fought side by side; both been willing to resign a job they loved because of the other, what was it cold feet?

'You want to be courted or something?' He raised his head to look at her his dark eyes dilated and his face tense with need for her.

'Don't look at me like that,' she protested, 'I can't think… That look just made her melt completely she felt boneless.

'Well don't think; every time we think we end up second guessing each other and it gets us nowhere, what are you scared of?' He smoothed her hair behind her ear. 'C'mon Harry you've got more spirit than anyone I know, what's the problem?'

'It will change everything,' she whispered and then she took hold of her courage. 'I'm being ridiculous…. I er…. James,' she moaned softly as her arms went round his neck and she decided to abandon herself to it. He was driving her insane with need, lust whatever you wanted to call it.

He shrugged off his jacket and it fell to the floor and gave a growl of approval as she got his shirt and deftly unbuttoned it and then his belt. 'I like the way you say no,' he unzipped her jeans and then got hold of her top and whipped it over her head. No bra, he hadn't noticed that earlier, all right, Harry! The skin to skin action made them both hungry for more as her soft breasts pressed against the muscular contours of his chest.

'Boots,' she murmured against his mouth and gave a gasp as he picked her up and headed for the bedroom, she looked up at him as he lay her gently on the bed and then got to her boots and pulled off her jeans so she was left in a scrap of silk as he got rid of his clothes and joined her.

'What if it isn't any good,' she babbled suddenly feeling nervous as he mapped her body with his. That was embarrassing she sounded like a headline on the page of an agony aunt, the what if he's too big variety.

'It's already good, I'm just about holding on here,' he buried his face against her throat and took a couple of deep breaths before he undid the little bows on each side of her panties. 'I like these,' he growled. His touch found the soft skin between her thighs and she nearly rocketed off the bed.

'Yeah,' he agreed as he forged inside her. 'God, Harry you have no idea,' he slid his hand into her hair, 'Baby, that's so good, look at me,' her blue eyes were fevered almost blind with passion and then she cried out and that took him out completely.

Harry's world splintered into an explosion of ecstasy and her finger nails bit into his shoulders in an involuntary reaction. 'James,' she moaned as she held on to the only stable thing in this new world which was him.

Dempsey breathing was tortured as he moved on top of her his eyes closed against the scalding heat of the moment and his body was racked with tremors as he came. All thought had gone just a blind need to get to this moment. He slumped down on her and tried to get some air into his lungs. It took a few minutes. 'I think that works for us, Harry.' He raised his head and his gaze teased hers, 'if you could just ease back with the nails, sweetheart,' he saw her blush and leant down to kiss her.

'I… Yes, well I think that knowing each other's moves so well… I think that pays off in the er…

'Bedroom,' he offered amused at her lack of composure. 'You don't need to be so conservative we could do it anywhere, locker room has always been my fantasy ever since you shoved me into them.

'That is work,' she reminded him as he moved off her and lay on his side. 'And you reciprocated… she brought the sheet up over herself only to have it pushed away, she pouted at him and then realised that she shouldn't have done that as his mouth returned to hers.

-oOOo-

Makepeace went to visit Joyce in hospital and was pleased to see her sat up and looking a bit better albeit she had all sorts of electrodes attached. 'Hi,' she put the flowers on the set of drawers by the bed. She'd brought them in a vase as she knew that Joyce wouldn't be able to arrange them as yet. 'How are things, great to see you awake.'

'I had to wake up to stop Dempsey visiting and giving me lectures on field work discipline,' she eased herself slightly in the bed. 'He's popped in every day apparently, he shouldn't feel guilty it was my fault.'

'Partner loyalty,' Harry responded. 'He's like that.' She'd wondered where he kept disappearing too, he hadn't said. 'What are they saying about your recuperation; a broken leg and hip isn't trivial.'

'Six months, I think. I'll be a lunatic by then I hate inactivity. I heard from the 'Lieutenant' that you're back at work and he seemed very happy about that; he must have persuasive powers I've as yet been unable to detect.' She smiled warmly at her friend. 'I'm glad you're back for whatever reason.'

'We talked, he yelled and we got through it,' Harry responded a little self-consciously. 'Spikings has given us the daily workload to run so we're getting used to that; there's a lot more to it than you would think. I think the budgeting is my least favourite task and the car pool you have no idea how asinine men can be about cars.'

'Hmm, what about your dark knight are you dating him yet?' Joyce's cat like eyes narrowed. 'Well you don't need to answer that I'm assuming yes but I know nothing,' she smiled and patted Harry's hand, 'you're a brave woman, Detective Inspector Makepeace.'


End file.
